1930 Bugatti Type 41 Royale Esders Roadster Dimensions, Size & Specs

Compared to modern luxury roadsters, the Bugatti Type 41 Royale Esders Roadster is significantly larger, particularly in length and wheelbase. While contemporary roadsters typically range from 4 to 4.5 meters (157-177 inches) in length, the Royale stretches to approximately 6.4 meters (252 inches), offering immense interior space and a grand chauffeur-friendly rear compartment. Its width of 2 meters (79 inches) is also on the higher side compared to today’s standards. The Royale's size emphasizes its role as a limousine-style roadster with an extended chassis and large coachbuilt bodywork, contrasting with the more compact, sportier designs of today’s roadsters.

The Bugatti Type 41 Royale Esders Roadster weighs approximately 3,175 kilograms (around 7,000 pounds). This substantial weight is due to its massive chassis, large and robust 12.7-liter inline-eight engine, and luxurious coachbuilt bodywork made with heavy materials typical of the era. The car's considerable weight results in a stately and smooth ride rather than nimble handling. Its suspension is designed more for comfort and stability rather than sporty cornering. This reflects its grand touring and luxury limousine character, aimed at providing unparalleled presence and comfort rather than agile performance.

Given its extraordinary dimensions, the 1930 Bugatti Type 41 Royale Esders Roadster does not fit into a standard residential garage. Most typical garages have door openings around 2.4 to 2.7 meters (8 to 9 feet) in height and widths of about 2.4 to 3 meters (8 to 10 feet), which are generally designed for much smaller, contemporary cars. With a length of roughly 6.4 meters (252 inches) and width near 2 meters (79 inches), parking the Royale would require a specially designed or larger garage space, such as those meant for limousines or vintage collector cars. Its size makes it impractical for standard home garages.

The interior of the Bugatti Type 41 Royale Esders Roadster was crafted with luxury and spaciousness in mind. Despite being a roadster, it offered a large passenger compartment with plush seating for four occupants—two in the front and two in the rear. The interior was typically appointed with high-quality materials such as fine leather upholstery and wood veneers, emphasizing comfort and grandeur. Given the extended wheelbase of about 4.3 meters (169 inches), rear passengers enjoyed ample legroom akin to a limousine, making it a distinguished vehicle for its day, focused on chauffeur-driven elegance rather than sporty two-seater roadster seating.

The Type 41 Royale Esders Roadster stands at around 1.85 meters (73 inches) tall, which was relatively tall compared to other luxury cars of the 1930s. Many luxury vehicles from that period typically ranged between 1.5 to 1.7 meters (59 to 67 inches) in height. The Royale’s taller stature was due to its huge, upright coachbuilt body and the substantial ground clearance necessary for smooth rides on less developed roads. This height adds to its imposing road presence and combined with the roof design helped provide generous headroom emphasizing its limousine-like comfort and grandeur.

The Type 41 Royale Esders Roadster is a special coachbuilt version of the original Type 41 Royale chassis. While the earlier Royale models generally followed a limousine or sedan style, the Esders Roadster variant featured a more bespoke roadster body with unique styling elements yet retained the massive 6.4-meter (252 inches) chassis and the signature powerful 12.7-liter engine. It offered a sportier and more elegant profile compared to the boxier earlier versions but preserved the lavish craftsmanship and grand proportions. This generation emphasized exclusivity with unique coachwork by Esders, a French coachbuilder, making it rarer and more collectible.

While exact ground clearance figures are hard to find, the Type 41 Royale Esders Roadster had relatively high ground clearance typical of luxury touring cars of its era, estimated around 180-200 millimeters (7 to 8 inches). This high clearance was necessary to handle rough road conditions common in the 1930s, before widespread pavement. It allowed the vehicle to maintain a smooth ride over uneven surfaces but contributed a higher center of gravity which further accentuated its stately, rather than performance-oriented, driving dynamics. This clearance was a balance between comfort, drivability, and grand touring usability.

The Bugatti Type 41 Royale Esders Roadster is often considered one of the most extravagant and largest luxury cars of the 1930s. Compared to ultra-luxury contemporaries like the Rolls-Royce Phantom I or Duesenberg Model J, the Royale was longer, heavier, and featured a bigger engine at 12.7 liters versus the 7.7-liter Duesenberg or 7.7-liter Rolls-Royce. The Royale's emphasis was on ultimate luxury, exclusivity, and sheer presence, with bespoke coachwork and unparalleled craftsmanship. While other luxury cars emphasized refinement and power, the Royale stood apart as a monumental statement of automotive opulence, with dimensions and capabilities that remain extraordinary even today.

The Bugatti Type 41 Royale Esders Roadster is an extremely rare and exclusive automobile. Bugatti produced only six Type 41 Royales in total, and only one was the Esders Roadster coachbuilt version. This extreme rarity, combined with its immense size, luxury, and historical significance, makes the Esders Roadster one of the most valuable and sought-after vintage cars in the world. Its low production volume was due to its massive cost and limited market for such an oversized luxury vehicle during the early 1930s, especially during the Great Depression, ensuring its exclusivity even today among collectors.